Bridget Busacker

Managing Your Fertility

Health EN ↓ 80 episodes

An evidence-based women’s health podcast on menstrual cycles, hormones, fertility awareness, and informed consent. Hosted by Bridget Busacker, MA, a women’s health communicator trained in public health and journalism, each episode blends research, expert interviews, and lived experience - from miscarriage and postpartum to hormonal imbalance. Topics include cycle charting, infertility, endometriosis, intimacy, and restorative reproductive medicine, so you can understand your body and make confident health decisions.https://www.managingyourfertility.com

Author

Bridget Busacker

Category

Health

Latest episode

Mar 4, 2026

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Episodes

55 - How to Talk About NFP So Women Actually Listen (3 Simple Shifts) 26.07.2023

Maybe you've been a part of the marriage prep training that highlights NFP with frolicking couples smiling at each other and the promo that NFP is life-changing. And then, it wasn't. Well, not in the ways you anticipated. *cue all the emotions* In this episode, I talk about THREE ways we can better market & promote NFP that honestly and hopefully shares how NFP impacts marriages and what you m...

54 - How to Own Your NFP Story - Even If It’s Messy or Complicated 25.07.2023

Do we make space for every NFP story? There are a lot of gaps when it comes to NFP. From marketing, teaching, instruction, spiritual direction... unless you happen to be in a great parish with a priest who is comfortable supporting parishioners, mentor couples to help with the practicals, and instructors to teach the science, it can feel like the wild west and you're on your own. Today, I want to...

53 - You Don’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Holy: Rethinking What It Really Means 17.07.2023

Ever heard the phrase "holier than thou"? In today's episode, I have the joy of sitting down with my dear friend Sr. Emily Syverson, Pro Ecclesia Sancta, to talk about holiness and what the heck it means to be holy! And, how holiness doesn't need to be this drab, scrupulous experience, but can actually be a life of great joy, contentment, and direction! Don't miss this episode as we discuss this h...

52 - Confused About Your Cycle? This Might Be the Missing Piece 05.06.2023

Couple to Couple League (CCL) launched the Fertility Science Institute (FSI), which provides ongoing and long-term support for women and couples when it comes to all things related to charting and women's health. I got to sit down with Katie Zulanas, the Executive Director of CCL, to talk about the FSI, what's included, how it serves women & couples, and how you can make the most of all the re...

51 - Your Egg Quality Matters More Than You Think (And Not Just for Fertility) 01.05.2023

Did you know your egg quality impacts your overall health? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Elisa Yao to discuss all aspects of egg quality and how we can improve our egg quality to reap positive health benefits, too! She shares what egg quality is, how to know if you have good egg quality or not, the ways in which egg quality impacts overall health, and opportunities to learn more through Dr....

50 - What the Latest Infertility Report Isn’t Telling Women 26.04.2023

This month, the World Health Organization (WHO) came out with a report highlighting the number of people who struggle with infertility (1 in 6) and what its top recommendation is for increased care and access. I share my honest thoughts on the podcast and this report has spurred me to bring in experts in the coming weeks to talk about fertility care options for infertility, specifically exploring...

49 - How Purity Culture Might Still Be Affecting You (More Than You Realize) 27.03.2023

What the heck is purity culture? Do you have command over your virginity or is it something your husband owns? How has purity culture negatively impacted sex? I'm sitting down with Bekah from Feminine Genius Ministries to get really honest about purity culture, what it is, and how it's impacting the way we as women see ourselves. And, how this lens negatively impacts sex, too! This episode gets in...

48 - Why the Way You Think About Men Impacts Your Experience of Intimacy 21.03.2023

In this episode, I explore mindset and how our thought patterns impact the way we live, think, and experience freedom or enslavement in our daily lives. I also talk about some of the core issues of men and women as it relates to Genesis 3:16, specifically addressing disordered desire (women) and domination (men), and how this dis-integration from original sin impacts our mindset in how we view equ...

47 - Why Sexual Sin Feels So Hard to Break (and What Helps) 01.03.2023

I sit down with David to talk about sexual sin, chastity, and about our own struggles to make sense of "how far is too far?" and never getting a straight-shooting answer from Catholic resources. This is the conversation we wished someone had with us and shared with us to help us understand HOW to identify sexual sin, WHAT to do about it, and WHERE to go for continued support to heal and integrate...

46 - Sex Questions You’ve Been Afraid to Ask (Answered Honestly) 14.02.2023

What does it look like to enjoy sex during the luteal phase? Can you say "no" to sex with your spouse? How can you navigate a spontaneous vs. responsive libido? Dr. Sarah Bartel is joining me again to answer all of your sex questions you submitted to me on Instagram! We don't hold back, so this episode is practical, specific AND in alignment with Catholic Church teachings on human sexuality and mo...

45 - Why Your Pelvic Floor Matters More Than You Think (Not Just After Baby) 09.02.2023

Have you ever had painful sex? Did you find things didn't feel "quite right" down there? Are you in the wild west of PP recovery and peeing your pants sounds like a reality for the rest of your life? In today's episode, I have the honor of sitting down with Dr. Chelsea Harkins, founder & PT practitioner of Dallas Pelvic Health, to talk about the basics of the pelvic floor, what kinds of treatm...

44 - Do You Have to Say Yes to Sex? Let’s Talk About Love, Sacrifice, and Boundaries 09.02.2023

Does sacrificial love mean you never refuse your spouse sex? Can women enjoy sex or does it have to be a thing you "get through"? Is it the husband's job to help you have great sex, too? In today's episode, I sit down with Dr. Sarah Bartel, co-founder of Cana Feast, to talk about sex and the work she does through her course & coaching program, My Delight, to help women have better sex with the...

43 - Why Isn’t There Birth Control for Men? (And What That Says About Women’s Health) 01.02.2023

Why the heck don't men take contraceptives? After all, they're fertile all the time! In this episode, I explore why men don't take hormonal contraceptives, the challenges in research, and why I think women's healthcare needs an overhaul. Get curious with me! Shownotes:  Why Don't Men Take Hormonal Contraceptives article: https://www.managingyourfertility.com/why-dont-men-take-hormonal-contraceptiv...

42 - How the Pill Changed Women’s Health (and What We’re Still Untangling Today) 25.01.2023

Today, I get lit up about the history of contraception, the limitations its placed on women (rather than freeing us) and the complications it's caused to our health. This conversation is the beginning of many because this topic is nuanced, challenging, and deserves more airtime than one episode.  But, this episode IS intended to get you thinking about your own health and choices. What do you want...

41 - Struggling with NFP? Let’s Talk About the Real-Life Messiness 21.12.2022

What happens when NFP doesn't go the way you thought it would? How do you respond when you get a positive pregnancy test and you're feeling ALL the feels? Is it okay to love and hate NFP at the same time? My dear friend, Amanda, is joining me today to get REAL about NFP, share her story, and start conversations about the realities, struggles, and goodness of NFP. She believes that both the hard &a...

40 - You’ve Heard ‘Theology of the Body’—But What Does It Look Like in Real Life? 15.12.2022

How do you live out Theology of the Body in your daily life? What does it mean to embrace your body and your personhood? Can you live in integration with your body AND soul? Or, does one have more value than the other? I have the great joy of sitting down with my friend, Jen Messing, to talk about all things Theology of the Body. The conversation is nuanced, fun, and so insightful! Jen is so on fi...

39 - You Can’t Live Integrated If You Don’t Understand Your Body 30.11.2022

When we understand ourselves as women, we're able to show up fully to whatever table (or tables!) we sit at. When we're integrated, we can make informed, intentional choices in our lives that impact our progress: both the physical and spiritual goals we have for ourselves. Today, I'm leaning into the conversation that fertility awareness is medical & soul care. It's not one or the other. When...

38 - Trying to Learn NFP on Your Own? Here’s Why That Might Be Holding You Back 23.11.2022

I know, I say it a lot: you need an instructor. In this episode, I go into three reasons why you need an instructor and I get into some of the nitty gritty aspects of charting. Whether you're single, engaged, or married: this is the episode for you! And, this isn't specific to people with cycle issues. This episode is for every lady who wants to chart their cycle successfully! MANAGING YOUR FERTIL...

37 - Infertility and Foster Care: When the Path to Motherhood Looks Different 09.11.2022

In this week's episode, Bridget sits down with Danielle Thompson, founder of Favor Fertility Ministry, to talk more about her story of infertility and the journey to foster care. She shares very openly and vulnerably about her journey of infertility and how foster care is impacting her family life. She also answers practical questions for someone interested in learning more about the foster care s...

36 - Why Modern Feminism Feels Incomplete - and What Women Really Need Instead 19.10.2022

Have you ever wondered about the history of feminism? Did you ever feel like you didn't really fit into the movement based on your beliefs & values, but you sure as heck believe in the dignity of women? Do you dream about a feminism that embraces women AND their fertility AND their dreams? This episode is for you!!! Bridget sits down with her dear friend, Leah Jacobson, to talk about wholistic...

35 - What Actually Builds a Strong, Healthy Marriage? (Roles, Intimacy & Real Life) 12.10.2022

Do you ever wonder if you're doing marriage "right"? Are you nervous that you might not have what it takes to create a healthy, thriving marriage? Curious about how you lean into God's grace in marriage and what that actually means? We're not saying we have all the answers, but we're definitely willing to dive into this conversation with our own experiences, what we've learned in our own marriages...

34 - What If You Don’t Feel Bad About Premarital Sex? Let’s Talk About It 28.09.2022

What does the Catholic Church teach about pre-marital sex? What do the stats say about pre-marital sex? How do those hormones work? Okay, we get it... but we still want to have sex! So, let's talk about it. Bridget sits down with Emily to talk about a struggle that's more commonly heard than not in their work and they want to talk about it. Bridget and Emily talk honestly and build the foundation...

33 - What Does ‘Good Sex’ in Marriage Actually Look Like? (A Catholic Perspective) 07.09.2022

Have you ever wondered if it's okay to have great sex? Do you worry about Googling your questions only to come up with something you wish you could unsee? Are you wondering how the heck to have conversations about sex when it seems like it's taboo in Catholic circles? Let's kick off season 3 by talking about sex, baby! Bridget sits down with Brandy Norton, founder of Good Catholic Sex, a resource...

32 - Confused About Where to Start with Fertility Awareness? Your Questions Answered 17.08.2022

I'm hopping on the podcast to share more about Start Your Chart™, how it started, and what you can expect out of this course! The course is LIVE, so don't hesitate to sign-up! Start Your Chart™ is all about helping you start charting! I provide you with practical tools and resources, so that you can start charing your cycle. Ultimately, this is about you growing in confidence and clarity with your...

31 - What Theology of the Body Looks Like in Real Life (Not Just in Theory) 08.06.2022

What is Theology of the Body (TOB)? How do we live TOB out in marriages? Can TOB help us grow in joy in our marriages?   The season finale is here and WHAT a finale it is! I had the pleasure of sitting down with Damon Owens to talk to him about Theology of the Body, specifically in the context of our own personhood and how it relates to marriage & NFP. Don't miss this amazing episode! Shownote...

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